Return envelope



March 11, 1952 w, WOQLSEY 2,588,950

RETURN ENVELOPE Filed July 12, 1947 191 'FIGQZ I7 IB 2| 0 n 5 \7 7 I l }L k IO? 6 FIG. 5

v I FIG. 6

Inventor Willard Woolsey B FIG. 7 y

/ Aflomey Patented Mar. 11, 1952 RETURN ENVELOPE Willard Woolsey, Chicago, Ill.

3 Claims.

This inventionrelates to mailing envelopes and l more particularly to envelopes of the type which may be used to send mail as second class mail and then reused by the recipient to forward a reply, in the same envelope, to be sent as first class mail.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide an envelope which maybe made on conventional types of envelope making machines from a single sheet of paper which deviates as little as possible fromconventional envelope blanks and yet, which may beused for two mailings. In accordance-with the principles of the present invention a blank sheet is so shaped and constructed thatit may readily be madeinto an envelope for second class mailing and wherein a single dab of adherentserves to secure the envelope together while permitting postal inspection, and wherein the sealing portions of the envelope maybe readily torn from the rest of the sheet to permit opening of the envelope and subsequent refolding thereof in a different manner to permit reuse of the envelope, this time for sending first class mail.

It is a further object of thepresent invention to provide an envelope which is of such a simple construction that the manner of use thereof will be almost self-apparent to .theaverageuser thereof so that a simple set of instructions will suffice for the purposes intended.

The attainment of theabove and further objects of the presenteinvention will be apparent from the following specificationtaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a front view of a blank sheet for forming an envelope of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an end view of the sheet of Figure 1;

Figures 3, 4 and 5 are plan views of the envelope in successive stages of folding;

Figure 6 is a view showing the partially unfolded envelope after a single use thereof; and

Figure 7 is a view of the envelope of the present invention folded for a second use.

Reference may now be had more particularly to the drawing wherein like reference numerals designate like parts throughout;

The mailing envelope of the present invention is formed of a single sheet lof papenof; the usual envelope stock, which is cut to provide a central rectangular portion 2, two similar end flaps 3 and 4, and two dissimilar longitudinal side flaps 5 and 6. The end flaps 3 and 4 are adapted to be folded along the lines of fold I and 9, re-

Application'July 12, 1947. Serial No. 760,671

spectively, to overlie either face of .therectangular.

portion 2, and likewisethe longitudinalside flaps 5 and Bare adapted tobe folded:alongl the lines 8 and I0, respectively, in either direction to overlie either face of therectangularlportionil. The end flaps 3.and'4 include short :tabs. l2. and. I3

which are adapted to be. readily severed fromrthe.

rest. of the sheet, the sheet being: providedwith weakened lines of severence ids-15in the: form,

of perforations extending through the sheet. The longitudinal flap 6. is of the; general shape of an isosceles triangle and is:constructedsowthat the tipportionll may readilylbelsevered from the rest of the sheet as. by the. provisionofL a. line of perforations). Anadhesive 'coatingtlil:

is applied to thetip portion ll ofthe flap 6,

said adhesive coating being entirely onone' side.

of the perforations 18. The flap. 5 has anadhesive coating 2| along oneedgethereof on the side of the sheet opposite the side where the.coat.-

ing. I9 is, as may be seen. from Figure 2. One. side. of the rectangular portion 2 may have printed thereon the address of the original sender of the envelope, indicated in the drawing by the.

arbitrary indication X,.Y' Z Co.,.Chicago, I11.

Theoppositeiside 2 of the portionl receives the addressv of the. first addresseeto: whom the envelope is to bemailed.

To use the envelopeithefiaps 3 andd are folded over one side of the. rectangular portion". 2,

that is, over. thesurface thereof seeninFigure 1, thusbringing the structure to the condition illustratedinFigure 3. A this time the edge'23.

of the flap 3isin abutment with the edge 2f. of the flap 4, thetabs .12 and i3. beingnext to one another and the'lines of perforation l b-i5 being in alignment.

I2. and l3.. This is. the positionillustrated in Figure 4. Immediately prior to the foldingof the of Figure 4 is now anopen envelope into which mailing material may be placed. After the mail ing material has been placed in the envelope the flap 5 is folded along the line of fold 8 and inserted into position between the rectangular portion 2 and the flaps 3 and 4. The envelope is now ready for mailing as second class mate-1 Thereafter the flap it 6 is. folded upwardly to overlie the flaps, 3 and 4 sotthat the tip ll of the .fiap: 6 overliesthe tabsv 3 rial, since it is an unsealed envelope. A this time the tip I! overlies and is adhered to the tabs l2 and I3 which in turn overlie the flap 5. This is the condition of the envelope as seen in Figure 5.

The side of the rectangular portion 2 opposite to that illustrated in Figure 1 is addressed to the party to whom the envelope is to be mailed. When that party receives the letter he need merely tear off the tip 11 and with it the adhered tabs I2 and I3, the tearing being along the perforated lines of tear l8 and i4 and I5. When that is done the envelope may be unfolded. Thereafter, if the envelopeis to be reused the flaps 3 and 4 are then folded over the opposite face of the rectangular portion 2, that is, over the face 2. The flap 6 is then again folded along the line I0, but in the direction opposite to the previous fold, so that the flap 6 again overlies the fiaps 4 and 3. The flap 5 is then folded over the flap 6 and on the outside of the flaps 3 and 4, and the dry adhesive 2| is moistened to adhere the fiap 5 to the flaps 3, 4 and 6, thus providing a sealed envelope of Figure 7 for first class mailing.

While I have shown an arrangement wherein the coating IQ for adhering the flap 6 to the tabs l2 and I3 is initially applied to the tip portion 11, it may instead be applied to the corresponding sides of the fiapsl2-I3, in which case the adhesive would be on the same side of the sheet.

I as is the adhesive 21 on the flap 5.

From the above description it is apparent that I have provided a mailing envelope which can be sent out with mailable matter therein and in a closed but unsealed condition, so that the envelope is mailed as second class mail from the original sender to a prospective customer. After the customer has opened the envelope he can refold the sheet in a very simple manner to form another envelope in which he can place his order and which can then be sealed and mailed back to the original sender as sealed, first class mail. All of this may be done in a simple and expedient manner. It is further apparent that the envelope of the present invention involves a minimum departure from standard envelope manufacture and requires a minimum surplus of paper.

In compliance with the requirements of the patent statutes I have here shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention. It is, however, to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction here shown, the same being merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. What I consider new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Means for forming a mailing envelope comprising a single sheet including a rectangular portion having transverse end flaps and first and second longitudinal side flaps extending from the respective transverse ends and longitudinal sides of the rectangular portion, the'respective flaps being foldable to alternate positions overlying the opposite faces of the rectangular portion, the transverse flaps having integrally formed tabs adjacent one another and adjacent the longitudinal edge of the first longitudinal side flap when the transverse fiaps are in folded position, the second longitudinal side flap having a part which in the flap folded position overlies the tabs, weakened lines of severance between said part and the rest of the sheet and also between said tabs and the rest of the sheet, said weakened lines of severance being superposed when the flaps are in their folded positions.

2. Means for forming a mailing envelope comprising a single sheet including a rectangular portion having transverse end flaps and first and second longitudinal side flaps extending from the respective transverse ends and longitudinal sides of the rectangular portion, the respective flaps being foldable to alternate positions overlying the opposite faces of the rectangular portion, the transverse flaps having integrally formed tabs adjacent one another and adjacent the longitudinal edge of the first longitudinal side flap when the transverse flaps are in folded position, the second longitudinal side fiap having a part which in' the flap folded position overlies the tabs, weakened lines of severance between said part and the rest of the sheet and also between said tabs and the rest of the sheet, said weakened lines of severance being superposed when the fiaps are in their folded positions, and adhesive on said sheet for adhering said part and both said tabs together while leaving the rest of the superposed parts of the folded sheet separate so that upon tearing of the envelope at said weakened lines of severance the flaps may all be folded over the opposite face of the rectangular portion.

3. Means for forming a mailing envelope comthe second longitudinal side flap having a part which in the flap folded position overlies the tabs, weakened lines of severance between said part and the rest of the sheet and also between said tabs and the rest of the sheet, said weakened lines of severance being superposed when the flaps are in their folded positions, an adhesive on said sheet for adhering said part and both said tabs together while leaving the rest of the superposed parts of the folded sheet separate so that upon tearing of the envelope at said weakened lines of severance the flaps may all be folded over the opposite face of the rectangular portion,

and an adhesive coating along an edge of the first longitudinal fiap that then .overlaps the second longitudinal flap.

WILLARD WOOLSEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Oct. 24, 1918 

